Mental health problems – an introduction

Explains what mental health problems are, what may cause them, and the many different kinds of help, treatment and support that are available. Also provides guidance on where to find more information, and tips for friends and family.

Many people experience suicidal thoughts and feelings at some point in their lifetime. They can be very unpleasant, intrusive and frightening, but having thoughts about suicide doesn't necessarily mean that you intend to act on them. Most people don't go on to attempt to take their own lives.

However, if you feel you may act on suicidal feelings and become unable to keep yourself safe then this a mental health emergency. It's important to treat it as seriously as you would any physical health emergency, and seek urgent help – for example by dialling 999, going to your nearest A&E, or calling the Samaritans on 116 123.

Self-harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. You may not know why you self-harm, but it can be a means of expressing feelings that you can’t put into words or think clearly about.

After self-harming you may feel a short-term sense of release, but the cause of your distress is unlikely to have gone away.

Self-harm can also bring up very difficult emotions and could make you feel worse.

Psychosis (also called a psychotic experience or psychotic episode) is when you perceive or interpret reality in a very different way from people around you. The most common types of psychosis are:

hallucinations, such as hearing voices or having visions

delusions, such as paranoia or delusions of grandeur.

Psychosis affects people in different ways. You might experience it once, have short episodes throughout your life, or live with it most of the time. It's also possible to have a psychotic experience without ever being diagnosed with a particular mental health problem.

Some people have a positive experience of psychosis. You may find it comforting, or feel that it helps you understand the world or makes you more creative.

[Psychosis] felt as though I was in wonderland. None of my family or friends understood why... I had a calling from a voice in sky. I was lost and lonely.

This information was published in October 2017 – to be revised in 2020. References are available on request. If you would like to reproduce any of this information see our page on permissions and licensing.